The Feeling of Christmas
by Polly83
Summary: Christmas story, a bit late... Post 'Santa in the Slush'. On Christmas morning Brennan as a question and an offer for Booth that can't wait.
1. Chapter 1

**Finally I start posting this!! This is my first Bones fan fiction in English… My little creature…**

**The idea came after seeing "Santa in the slush", the Christmas tree scene… For me the tree thing was more meaningful than the kiss… It was like a giant banner saying 'I love you'…**

**So far I'm rather proud of what I came up with… I hope you'll like it as well.**

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**Chapter 1**

She looked at her watch. Already 9 o' clock in the morning. He had to be back from dropping Parker at Rebecca's before they left for Vermont… Besides she didn't want to wait any longer.

She picked up her cell phone and pressed her first number on speed dial.

"Hey!" he cheerfully greeted her "Merry Christmas Bones!"

"You already said that" she couldn't help but point out. At least her logic mind couldn't help it. Even if she didn't really mind that much. She was sure he meant it. And would have meant it even the millionth time he said that. He arranged a whole Christmas tree just for her and her family, so they could have every required detail to make their Christmas perfect, even if it was spent in trailer arranged for conjugal visits in County jail… That definitely did count for something…

"Doesn't hurt to be told once again, does it? By the way now is actually Christmas day…"

Right now he could picture her face just as she was in front of him and not (most likely) at home. She had rolled her eyes and tilted her head, as she always did when she wanted to show he was being annoying, and was just about to let out a big sigh. After a couple of years of partnership he knew her so well it amazed himself sometimes. He could just feel whatever she was feeling or thinking. Other times instead she was still a complete mystery to him. and that definitely kept things interesting.

"I guess it doesn't hurt then" she indeed sighed, just as he had guessed.

Then he realized he didn't know why she had called yet. Not that she always needed a reason… actually he was pretty much glad to see or hear of her beyond their work, but she usually had at least an excuse to be calling him, especially since it was a holiday. "You needed something?"

"How did you know?" she just blurted out, and he wasn't sure if she meant her question as an answer to his own or not.

"What? How did I know you needed something? I just…"

She was following her trail of thoughts and didn't even hear his reply. "You couldn't possibly know I'd be there in the trailer yesterday, but you came with Parker and arranged all the Christmas tree thing…"

He smiled, realizing he did know the answer to this question, just as much as he knew the woman he was talking to. "But I did know Bones"

"Ho…How?" She hated this. He made her speechless more frequently every time. And she wasn't used to being left speechless…

"Because I know you. Remember, a few weeks ago, daffodils, daisies, Jupiter… I just… knew."

"But _I_ didn't. I was standing there at the Jeffersonian, watching my ticket in my hand, and I didn't know what to do. How could you know when I didn't?"

Her logical mind had serious trouble understanding his actions the previous night. She had been struggling almost all evening over this, wondering if he had just taken a chance and had been lucky or there was something else. It was almost frightening to realize that someone else know what you'll do before yourself. And Booth seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Sometimes it was comforting, she had to admit it, but other times it definitely scared her.

"You've been missing your family for sixteen years Bones. As much as you like ancient skeletons and Peru, I knew in the end you couldn't give up your chance to be with your family, to have a family to be visiting for Christmas. I knew you'd make the right decision."

"How did you know it was right?" She acted almost like a little child, asking a thousand whys. Or 'how's, in this case. She was used to figure out whatever her bones could tell, but figuring out what was inside Booth's head was a completely different issue.

"You know it was Bones, you knew. Probably you've known it as soon as you noticed the look on your father's face seeing you there."

"How… how do…?"

Again. He had done it again. He was definitely right. She had indeed felt that being there was the only right thing to do when she had locked eyes with her father, reading pride and joy in them, just as Booth supposed.

And she could just surrender, there was no denying that Booth could read her like a book, or maybe even better. Probably just as much as she could read into a skeleton. But he didn't need shining machines to do that, just his gut. Or his heart. Or whatever they called it.

"It's Christmas, and at Christmas time everyone is meant to be with their families. And you made the right decision because being with people you love and who loves you back is all that matters."

That was why he had been so happy to spend at least Christmas Eve with Parker, and had been happy to bring his partner's family their missing tree. Even if they were a few meters apart, they had seen each other and, what's more, their Christmases had been connected in some way.

"And it was right to bring Parker to jail so we could have a tree?"

"First of all, Parker wasn't actually in jail, we were just outside the netting; secondly we had fun and spend time together, and for me and Parker it's all that matters; thirdly that was my Christmas gift for you, and you can't question gifts, and anyway it was definitely worthy"

"You wanted to make my Christmas complete" she whispered, more as a statement than as a question.

"Was it? complete?"

He really wished she had appreciated his gift, what he meant with that tree. He wanted her to enjoy Christmas time, enjoy her family and all that's important during Christmas holidays. Which was what was important to him ever: love and family.

She smiled. "Yeah… yeah, it was" Actually this was not only the best Christmas she had had in sixteen years, but it was better than she had ever expected her future Christmases to be. Ever.

And that tree… was so Booth… something so simple yet so meaningful…

"Good… good…"

They were both repeating things twice, he noticed. Maybe because neither of them wanted this conversation to come to an end. He knew he didn't. Once he hung up, he would been lonely again. No Parker, no Bones to talk to. He still had his parents to call, but it was too late to be visiting them.

It was her the one interrupting the silence. "Booth?"

"Yeah"

"You're home?"

"Yeah, sure. Why?"

"Open the door"

"What?!?"

"No questions, just do it"

He frowned, but opened the door and his eyes got instantly wide. She was standing there, with her phone still pressed to her ear.

"Hi" He couldn't help but stir the corners of his mouth in a warm smile, at which she responded smiling back.

He shut his cell phone closed and she mirrored his action.

"Hi you"

She had to admit to herself she had been a bit self-conscious at first about visiting him now, but the look on his face was telling her he was more than happy to see her there. As far as she could see, he wasn't considering her behaviour inappropriate or out of place.

"What are you doing here?"

Good question. Question she was prepared for.

"You wanted my Christmas to be complete, and it was, so I thought I owed you something."

"Bones, you didn't have to…"

This time it was her interrupting him. "I didn't do anything yet." She had a weird smirk on her face, and he didn't know what to think about it. "I just happen to have guests, and since you don't have Parker today I figured I could provide you with a sort of family…"

Family? But her family was in jail… At least the ones related to her by blood… "You mean… Amy and the girls?"

"Yup, who else? They're going back to Carolina tonight. The girls already decorated my apartment and Amy and I are gonna cook a real Christmas lunch you'd be proud of, with turkey and everything. So, what do you say? Are you gonna play the lucky guy surrounded by girls?"

His first incredulous look changed into a giant grin. Spending Christmas day with Bones? That was more than he had ever hoped for this year! He was still a bit mad at Rebecca for ruining his day with Parker, but this invite was very close to make up for his missing chance.

"I take it as a yes then. Gotta go, I have a lunch to arrange and I don't have that much at home, considering I was meant to be in Peru by now"

"Something I can help you with?" He asked politely. For the mood he was in she could ask him pretty much everything and he would have done it without questioning.

She shook her head no. "Just be there at 12 o'clock. See ya later then"

"Yeah, see ya"

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**I'm not sure how long it will take to update because next month will be rather busy for me, but I'll do my best…**

**Please, let me know what you think, any comment or suggestion of any kind is very welcome.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry, this is short, but short is better than no chapter at all I guess. In the next chapter there will be the actual launch, for now just some reflections and a father-and-daughter conversation…**

**A big thanks to any reviewer.**** I also noticed a lot of Alerts, so thanks to you too for wanting to keep reading this story.**

**Chapter 2**

Driving back from Booth's, in the middle of the mental grocery list that was playing in her head, Temperance Brennan thought back at the conversation she had had with her Dad just the day before, in the trailer…

_The girls, Amy and Russ had come back to unwrapping presents, but she was still looking out of the window, at t__he tree Booth had brought. Max was standing beside her, observing her. Booth and Parker could still be seen on the outside, laughing and making snow angels beside Booth's car._

_She turned towards her father, the man she hadn't recognized at first because of several plastic surgeries, but she had grown to love, even if he was what she would have called 'a bad person', and saw him trying to hide a funny face._

"_What?" she asked him. She didn't know what was he was amused about, but she couldn't help but being pleased. Tonight she was more than willing to enjoy whatever could cross her path. Was it the 'Christmas magic' Booth had been talking about?_

"_Nothing"__ Max clearly tried his best, but failed to hide his delight. He usually was a good liar, or wouldn't be alive by now, but yet this time he wasn't able or didn't want to cover his tracks._

"_You're smirking" _

"_I'm not!" _

_She was unsure about the description of her father's face… maybe she could have called it 'smiling oddly' or 'winking'… but his sudden denial told her he could perfectly understand what she meant. Now it was her the one amused. She was almost cheered up by the realisation that she had caught him._

"_I'm not as good as Booth__ at reading people, but I can recognize a smirk when I see one, and you're definitely smirking!"_

"_I'm not!" he tried again, but she didn't fall for __it and he finally called defeat. "Okay, I am"_

"_Why? __There's something on my nose? The tree is funny? What?"_

"_No! __The tree is just perfect…"_

"_Yeah…"__ She nodded in agreement, stealing another glance at the tree, now with the lights_ _switched off, but still in the same position. _

_Then she turned again at Max and caught the same weird face she had seen earlier._

"_You're smirking again!"_

_Max had sighed deeply and had decided to explain. __"You know, I'm stuck here in jail probably for the rest of my life… I was just thinking that it's good to know there's someone out there willing to take care of my little girl. Not that I didn't know that already…"_

"_I can take care of myself!" she protested forcefully, more as a habit that anything. As much as she hated admit this, Booth had actually had to rescue her a couple of times…_

"_I'm aware of that honey, trust me, and so is Booth. But I'm still your Dad, I love you, I'm proud of you and I'm happy to see __you have someone who'll stand beside you no matter what, someone you can trust with your own life. Every parent wants that for his kids."_

_A sudden thought stuck her. Max talked with respect of Booth, just as Booth had a sort of respect for the way Max wanted to protect his family, even if his ways were mostly illegal._

"_You like him, don't you? Even if it was him the one putting you here."_

_She didn't have to wait for the answer. __"Of course I do! How could I not like someone who spend his Christmas Eve to make you have a Christmas tree?"_

_Max was only partially joking. He knew enough about love to know that the tree standing outside the window was a sort of declaration of love. It was Booth's way to let her know he deeply cared for her._

"_Not just me.__ It was meant for me, for you, for Russ and the girls and Amy."_

_Once again her reply had been almost unconscious. And Max hadn't been surprised._

"_Yeah, but he cares about us just because he cares about you__, honey."_

_She didn't know what to say in response. Even anthropologically speaking she could understand that if someone cares about someone else he wants this someone else to be happy, and her family was important to her, so he wanted her family to have a great time together. What puzzled her a bit was realizing that just a few months ago she wouldn't have been so keen to admit Booth even cared about her. They both kept saying they were just partners, both knowing fully well this wasn't the whole truth. _

_She had realized they were both lying, and knowingly lying, in one of their sessions with Dr. Sweets. The definition they had come up with was they would have had a coffee once in a while, knowing their relationship went far beyond coffee. Just a coffee once in a while definitely wouldn't have been enough._

Should she be scared? She had spent years building walls around her, and now both Booth and her father seemed to know her too well. Just twelve months ago she probably would have run away. Even with Sully she had been a bit like that, wanting to run away or closing up like a shell. But now, for the first time in years, she chose to let it happen, to show how she really was.

About Booth there was not much she could do, he had already proved how well he knew her. Several times.

About her father it had been a deliberated choice. But Booth kept telling her that she should forgive him, and Max had helped her saving Booth. From that moment she had known she owed him something. Maybe he had been aware of it all along, that helping Booth was the best way to reach her heart. Back then she wasn't conscious of that, but after months and quite some reasoning she had come to that conclusion. Max Keenan had known from the beginning that Booth was important for her, that was why he had chosen to help him. he wanted to help her. That was the only logical explanation.

Further reflections had to wait because she had just reached the grocery store, the only one open on Christmas day. She left the car in the parking lot and prepared herself, for once, for celebrating Christmas.

**So? Liked it? Please, say yes and make me happy:D **

**Anyway, as usual, any kind of comment is always appreciated.**


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